1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a system for enhancing the television presentation of an object at a sporting event.
2. Description of the Related Art
The television presentation of sporting events needs to be improved. Because of the size and speed of some objects and the distance of the television camera from the playing field, some objects at a sporting event are hard to see on a television screen. One example of an object at a sporting event is the game object, which is defined as the article or thing which is the focus of the game, for example, a hockey puck, baseball, football, soccer ball, shotput, basketball, tennis ball, etc. To compensate for objects that are hard to see on television, broadcasters will use zoom lenses. However, the limited field of view of a zoomed camera prevents the object from being viewed in relation to the playing field and prevents the viewer from seeing other objects that are part of the sporting event. Additionally, even with zoom lenses some objects remain difficult to see on television.
For example, television viewing of a hockey game is hampered by poor visibility and distortion of the hockey puck. The puck is small, and is passed, shot and deflected at high speeds. A standard hockey puck is three inches in diameter and one inch high. A television viewer sees only a limited portion of the ice and the scene being viewed changes rapidly as the camera moves to follow the action. In order to be able to view all areas of the hockey rink, cameras must be located far from the playing surface. Thus, on a standard television screen a hockey puck tends to appear as a small dot or a smear, and sometimes the puck is not perceptible by a viewer. As a result, it is difficult to follow the puck from player to player, and it is especially difficult to follow the puck as it is shot toward the goal. For most viewers, recognizing that a goal has been scored probably comes after the fact when a signal light is turned on or the announcer informs the viewer that a goal has been scored. Because viewers cannot follow the puck, they do not sustain interest in the game. Although hockey is a popular sport, telecasts of hockey games would have wider appeal and be more fully enjoyed if the movement of the puck could be more closely followed.
In golf and baseball it is hard to see the ball when the ball is hit in the air for a long distance (e.g. a home run in baseball or a tee shot in golf). To compensate, cameras will zoom in on the baseball or golf ball which allows the viewers to see the ball against the sky. Such a view of the ball does not give the viewer a true perspective of the ball's path. That is, the viewer cannot determine how far the ball was hit or where the ball is in the relation to the playing field. At times a viewer of a baseball game cannot distinguish between a home run and a routine fly ball. One way to show a baseball or a golf ball in relation to the playing field is to zoom out and show the entire baseball field or golf course. However, such a zoom-out will make the ball difficult or impossible to see. Other sporting events present similar visibility problems.
Furthermore, television viewers do not have access to the same information that is available to spectators at the event (e.g. game programs, messages on the scoreboard, etc.). Thus, broadcasters may be able to sustain greater viewer interested by presenting the viewers with additional desired information and provide for the use of that information in an exciting way.
Thus, there is a need for enhancing the television presentation of objects at sporting events. However, any solution to the problem should not significantly effect the players or fans who attend the sporting event.